Julia Glover
Encyclopedia
Julia Betterton Glover was an Irish
-born stage actress well known for her comic roles in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
, Ireland. Her father was an actor who descended from 17th century actor Thomas Betterton
. As a child, she toured with her father and began taking small parts in plays. In 1787, she joined the York Circuit under manager Tate Wilkinson
and appeared as the Page in Thomas Otway
's The Orphan
, as well as the Duke of York
with George Frederick Cooke
in Richard III
. In 1795 she went to Bath and played the parts of Juliet
, Imogen
, Desdemona
, Lady Macbeth
and Lydia Languish. She became well known, particularly praised for her comic
role as Languish, and news of her success reached London
. A number of job offers were made, but they were declined by her father. He eventually accepted a lucrative offer (taking her salary for himself), for which she made her London début in 1797 as Percy by Hannah More
.
Early in her career, Glover found herself competing for tragic
parts with Miss Campion, an actress from Dublin. Glover subsequently favoured comic roles. In 1800, her father sold her in marriage to Samuel Glover for £1, 000, although the money was never paid. Unhappily married, she had eight children, four of whom survived childhood. In 1820, she played Hamlet
at the Lyceum Theatre to critical acclaim. In 1822, she appeared as Nurse
in Romeo and Juliet
at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
; her daughter Phyllis played Juliet. On February 8, 1837, her father, with whom she had had an unhappy relationship, died.
Her son was William Howard Glover
. In 1850, Glover announced her retirement from the stage. After two weeks confined to her bed, she appeared at Drury Lane for her farewell benefit performance on July 12, 1850 as Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals
. She was noticeably ill and weak during her performance and was unable to stand to receive her applause at the end of the play. Instead, the curtain rose to reveal Glover seated, surrounded by the rest of the cast. She died days later on July 16, 1850.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born stage actress well known for her comic roles in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Biography
Glover was born Julia Betterton in 1779 or 1781 in NewryNewry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, Ireland. Her father was an actor who descended from 17th century actor Thomas Betterton
Thomas Betterton
Thomas Patrick Betterton , English actor, son of an under-cook to King Charles I, was born in London.-Apprentice and actor:...
. As a child, she toured with her father and began taking small parts in plays. In 1787, she joined the York Circuit under manager Tate Wilkinson
Tate Wilkinson
Tate Wilkinson , English actor and manager, was the son of a clergyman.His first attempts at acting were badly received, and it was to his wonderful gift of mimicry that he owed his success. His imitations, however, naturally gave offence to the important actors and managers whose peculiarities he...
and appeared as the Page in Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for Venice Preserv'd, or A Plot Discover'd .-Life:...
's The Orphan
The Orphan
This article is about the play. For the 2009 horror film, see Orphan .The Orphan, or The Unhappy Marriage is a domestic tragedy, written by Thomas Otway in 1680. It was first produced at the Dorset Garden Theatre, and starred Mrs. Barry as Monimia, Thomas Betterton as Castalio and Mr. Jo. Williams...
, as well as the Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, 1st Duke of Norfolk, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Earl Marshal was the sixth child and second son of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. He was born in Shrewsbury....
with George Frederick Cooke
George Frederick Cooke
George Frederick Cooke was an English actor. As famous for his erratic habits as for his acting, he was largely responsible for initiating the romantic style in acting that was later made famous by Edmund Kean.-Career:Although he claimed to have been born in Westminster, it seems likely that he...
in Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
. In 1795 she went to Bath and played the parts of Juliet
Juliet Capulet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
, Imogen
Imogen (Shakespeare)
Imogen was the daughter of King Cymbeline, in Shakespeare's play, Cymbeline. She was described by William Hazlitt as "perhaps the most tender and the most artless" of all Shakespeare's women.-Name:...
, Desdemona
Desdemona (Othello)
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello . Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a man several years her senior. When her husband is deployed to Cyprus in the service of the...
, Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth may refer to:*Lady Macbeth, from William Shakespeare's play Macbeth**Queen Gruoch of Scotland, the real-life Queen on whom Shakespeare based the character...
and Lydia Languish. She became well known, particularly praised for her comic
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
role as Languish, and news of her success reached London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. A number of job offers were made, but they were declined by her father. He eventually accepted a lucrative offer (taking her salary for himself), for which she made her London début in 1797 as Percy by Hannah More
Hannah More
Hannah More was an English religious writer, and philanthropist. She can be said to have made three reputations in the course of her long life: as a poet and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, as a writer on moral and religious subjects, and as a practical...
.
Early in her career, Glover found herself competing for tragic
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
parts with Miss Campion, an actress from Dublin. Glover subsequently favoured comic roles. In 1800, her father sold her in marriage to Samuel Glover for £1, 000, although the money was never paid. Unhappily married, she had eight children, four of whom survived childhood. In 1820, she played Hamlet
Prince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is a fictional character, the protagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius and son of the previous King of Denmark, Old Hamlet. Throughout the play he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and...
at the Lyceum Theatre to critical acclaim. In 1822, she appeared as Nurse
Nurse (Romeo and Juliet)
The Nurse is a major character in William Shakespeare's classic drama Romeo and Juliet. It is revealed later in the play by Lord Capulet that the Nurse's real name might be Angelica . She is the personal servant, guardian of Juliet Capulet, and has been since Juliet was born...
in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
; her daughter Phyllis played Juliet. On February 8, 1837, her father, with whom she had had an unhappy relationship, died.
Her son was William Howard Glover
William Howard Glover
William Howard Glover , was an English musical composer and writer.Glover was the second son of Julia Glover, the actress, and said to be descended from the Bettertons...
. In 1850, Glover announced her retirement from the stage. After two weeks confined to her bed, she appeared at Drury Lane for her farewell benefit performance on July 12, 1850 as Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals
The Rivals
The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.- Production :...
. She was noticeably ill and weak during her performance and was unable to stand to receive her applause at the end of the play. Instead, the curtain rose to reveal Glover seated, surrounded by the rest of the cast. She died days later on July 16, 1850.